Roller-skate



(No Model.)

J. H. FENTON.

ROLLERSKATE. No. 331,291 v Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

will wabble, thereby rendering the skate noisy Warren dinrns PATENT@FFMJ 0 JOHN H. FENTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROLLER SKATE.

EPL'CIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,291, datedDecember 1, 1885.

Application filed October 28, 1884. Serial No. 1 161354. (N0 model.)

T0 ail whom it may concern..-

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. Fnxron, residing at Chicago, in the countyof Cool; and State of Illinois, and acitizen of the United States, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in RollerSkates, of which thefollowing is a full description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a view showing one wheel in elevation andthe other in section, with the frame partly in section; Fig. 2, a sideelevation of one of the wheels; Fig. 3, an end elevation of one of thethimbles with the engaging-points extended; Fig. 4, a longitudinalsection of one of the thimbles with the engaging-points turned down;Fig. 5, a side elevation of the wheel with the end of the hub slotted;Figs. 6 and 7, details of a thimble for the form of wheel shown in Fig.5; Figs. 8 and 9, aside elevation and cross-section of the skate-framewith the ends of the bearing portion slotted to receive thimbles of theform shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The present manner of mounting the wheels of roller-skates isobjectionable, for the reason that the axle or spindle hole wears veryrapidly in use, the result being that the wheel and unsafe in use, and,as heretofore construoted, in order to overcome the wear it has beennecessary to replace the wheels with new ones, which is somewhatexpensive.

The object of this invention is to overcome this objection inroller-skates by enabling the wear to be readily taken up withoutsupply- 7 ing new wheels in full.

The object of my invention I accomplish in the manner hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the drawings, A represents the wheels, B, the thimbles, O, the axle;D, the frame.

The wheels A may be made of wood or other suitable material, either inthe form shown or other desired form, so as to have a hub or center,through which is the hole for the passage of the axle. Two thimbles, B,are used for a wheel, and are each in length not quite equal to one-halfthe length of the hub, so as to leave a small space between their innerends when in place,which forms an oil-receptacle.

The thimbles may be made of brass or other suitable metal, cast orotherwise formed into shape to have an exterior corresponding indiameter, or nearly so, to the diameter of the 'hubopening, so thattliethimbles can be driven into such opening, and the outer end of eachthimble, in the form of construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is providedwith a flange, I), having projecting points I), which points can beturned down and forced into the wheel around the hub-opening as thethimble is driven to place, which points hold the thimble againstrotation independent of the wheel. The interior diameter of the thimblescorresponds to the diameter of the axle, so that when the wheel is onthe axle it will fit so as to revolve smoothly.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the exterior end of each thimble is providedwith a rib or lug,

c, which enters a recess, a, formed in the endlocking of the hub, andfurnishes a means for the thimble to the wheel.

As shown, the exterior ends of the thimbles are protected against thewear of the axle-pin by a washer, d, interposed between it and the pin.

The frame D is of the usual construction, having a bearing portion inwhich the axle 0 runs, and this hearing portion is protected againstwear by thimbles corresponding to those shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the endsof the bearing portion of the frame having recesses e to receive theribs or flanges c. The thimbles are placed in the hubs by driving orforcing them therein, and whenin place are locked to the hub either bythe points I) or the ribs or lugs c, and the thimbles for the bearingportion of the frame are inserted in place and held by the looking lugsand notches.

In use,when the thimbles become worn on their interior so as to allowplay of the wheel on the axle, the difiiculty can be remedied byslipping the wheel from the axle, inserting new thimbles with theinterior diameter unworn, and replacing the wheels, and for this purposethe thimbles can be made up and supplied to parties using the skates,thus enabling them to do their own repairing, and the same operation canbe performed for the framebearing portions.

when the thimbles are in position the space or projections extendingdown therefrom, and

The skates now in use, as the opening in I the hub becomes worn, can bemade perfect again by simply inserting the thimbles, and

or opening between their interior ends furnishes a receptacle for oilor. other lubricant, by which the parts can be kept properly oiled orlubricated for a considerable length of time, and this space between theends of the thimbles also forms a receptacle for the cutting or wearingof the parts, and thereby prevents such cutting and wearing fromincreasing the Wear in use by remaining between the axle and thebearing.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the exterior flange of the ends of thethimble is omitted; but such flange could be formed on the ends thisflange forms a stop for limiting the dis tance that the thimble entersthe hub-opening, and at the same time furnishes a smooth side bearingfor the wheel, and the flange is pre vented from being worn byinterposing washers d between it and the holdingpin.

The carriage or frame D being made of metal, necessitates the forming ofthe recesses c and making the thimbles with lugs a.

Thimbles of the construction shown and described, when made ofsuflicient size, can also be used with other forms of wheels than thosedesigned for roller-skates with great benefit and advantage, as by theiruse the wheels, when they become loose on the axle from Wear, can betightened by simply withdrawing the old thimbles and replacing them withnew.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The cylindrical thimbles B, provided at their outer ends withinterlocking points or lugs to enter recesses in the outer faces of thewheels around the hub-opening, substantially as described.

2. The thimble B, provided at its outer end with a laterally-projectingflange, I), provided with inwardly-extending points Z), .to enter theface of a wheel around the hub opening, substantially as described.

I JOHN H. FENTON.

\Vitnesses:

0. W. BOND, ALBERT H. ADAMs.

